Oftentimes, it is desirable to remove malodors from the air. In some situations, it is desirable to emit substances into the air.
One situation in which it is desirable to remove malodors from the air is in connection with storing and preserving food in closed compartments and refrigerators. It is a well know problem that many food items tend to release malodors into the air that are then captured in the limited air space in the refrigerator. Not only are these malodors unpleasant and offensive to the user of the refrigerator, they can have a negative impact on the quality of the other foods in the refrigerator. For example, it is known that some foods emit strong odors (e.g., fish, onions) and that these odors can transfer to other foods, including ice, and hurt the taste and freshness of those foods. Other situations in which it is desirable to remove malodors are in connection with pet litter boxes, under sinks where “musty air” can build up, or in closed rooms and cupboards. Again, these odors can be offensive and unpleasant to those in the vicinity.
In other situations, it is desirable to emit a substance into the air including, for example, but not limited to insecticides, and fragrances. A number of articles and devices exist for emitting a fragrance into the atmosphere. However, these are often linked to a wall socket; or have poor diffusivity in a room because they have no air flow; or are less portable; or, in the case of candles, are unsafe if left unattended. In addition, the size of areas to be fragranced can vary, for example, from living or family rooms, to cupboards or closets, or even cars. Also, in many of these devices, the amount of scent emitted cannot be varied or controlled—which can be important depending on the sensitivity of the user and the volume of room to be fragranced. Lastly, it is possible that at certain times, malodor removal will be more important or desired, whereas at other times air fragrancing may be desired.
There exist in the art devices for deodorizing confined spaces such as those disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,548 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,959. However, some of these devices fail to be capable of deodorizing complexly structured confined spaces that comprise portions that are not normally reached by air convection. These portions include, for example, drawers for fresh fruits and vegetables in a refrigerator. Malodors may be trapped and hence may not be reached by deodorizing devices placed in the main compartment. There also exist in the art devices to emit substances, like a fragrance, for example a device known as the Norelco Aromatherapy System AT 100. Air fragrance devices also may not be able to reach similar confined spaces via normal air convection, and/or may not be portable to allow placement in the areas where safe air fragrancing is desired.
Thus, a need exists for devices and methods for deodorizing and/or freshening the air when desired that are not subject to the drawbacks of some prior art devices and methods. A need exists for a device capable of emitting scents that is safe, and does not present an undue hazard like lit scent-emitting candles. A need exists for devices capable of emitting scents or other substances into the air which do not need to be plugged into an electrical outlet and are portable. In addition, there is a need to provide a device that is capable of emitting scents to confined spaces as well as to larger spaces. A need further exists for a scent-emitting device in which the user is capable of controlling the intensity of the scent emitted therefrom. A need also exists for a scent-emitting device in which the scent medium can be easily replaced so that the device can be reused.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for deodorizing and/or freshening air.